A recent Scientific American opinion was blasted on Twitter for using the cardiac arrest of NFL player Damar Hamlin to suggest that “football’s violence disproportionately affects Black men.”
Duke University anthropology professor Tracie Canada wrote a piece Friday headlined “Damar Hamlin’s Collapse Highlights the Violence Black Men Experience in Football,” during which she claimed, “The anti-Blackness of the system is inescapable.”
She wrote, “As a cultural anthropologist, I’ve spent the last decade learning how Black college football players navigate the exploitation, racism, and anti-Blackness that are fundamental to its current system.”
Despite the article’s title, Canada later admitted, “I am not aware of research that compares the rate of injury between Black and white football players.”
Mitch Morse, #60 of the Buffalo Bills, consoles Tre’Davious White, #27, after Damar Hamlin, #3, sustained an injury during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 2, 2023 in Cincinnati.
(Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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Numerous personalities on Twitter scorched Scientific American for publishing such a piece.
Sportswriter and show host Jason Whitlock lampooned the article’s very name, “The ‘terrifyingly ordinary’ stupidity of Twitter disproportionately affects the ‘Scientific’ American feed.”
American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Christina Hoff Sommers called out the Scientific American’s editor-in-chief, “Another absurd & incoherent article in the once-serious Scientific American. What gives @SciAm @laurahelmuth?”
Two former NFL players weighed in as well.
“I haven’t seen anyone troll the @TheBabylonBee this well,” former offensive tackle John Welbourn tweeted, while former offensive lineman Cory Procter offered his appraisal of the article, “Pure trash.”
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, #85, runs near Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, #3, during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. Hamlin was injured on the play.
(AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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Many commentators on Twitter noted the obvious demographics at play in football.
Outkick content creator Dan Zaksheske tweeted, “Now do hockey, a sport where fighting on a giant ice cube is practically legal and very much encouraged, and has 93% white players who make a fraction of the money.”
“Let me assure you that there are white people lined up miles long to get into this league,” sports commentator T.J. Joe tweeted. “To the degree that it’s ‘disproportionately affecting black men’, it would only be because the black men earned the roster spot the white guys also wanted. This article is pure garbage.”
National Review Online senior writer Dan McLaughin wrote, “Literally just an argument that NFL teams employ too many black players.”
Damar Hamlin, #3 of the Buffalo Bills, reacts after a missed Pittsburgh Steelers field goal during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on Oct. 9, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.
(Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
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The Washington Post published a similar op-ed the same day and tweeted, “Opinion by Karen Attiah: ‘As long as the NFL delays making serious changes, players’ lives — especially Black players’ lives — will continue to be jeopardized.'”
The Spectator contributing editor Stephen L. Miller noted The Post tweet and said, “Scientific American beat them to this take by 45 minutes.”
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